RT-AC86 - Weak Wireless 2.4G

[Pir8pete]

I couldn't get any answers in any of the other threads when I asked, so I made it's own thread so someone that has this same router could help.

Here is a comparison using inSSIDer and my new laptop around the house of the 2.4G on my RT-AC1900P and my new RT-AC86.

1900P with firmware 380.68.4 (142 and 142_5G)
AC86 with firmware 382.1.beta1 (FU_Neighbors_2G and FU_Neighbors_5G)



My question is; has anyone else noticed that the AC86's 2.4G band is a little weaker? The 5G is the same or better. Both routers are using default settings other then the basics, and were manual configured after flashing the firmware so everything's fresh.

I have tried all regions, all channels using width 20MHz or 40MHz with all the same results, all around the house with about a 12% drop on the AC86.

Would this be an Asus firmware wireless driver issue? as the router is still so new!

 

[sfx2000]

disable turboQAM and put channels to 20MHz in 2.4GHz - then performance should be similar across both models...

 

[Pir8pete]

I don't get what your asking me to try?

-the 1900P has MCS8/9 "turbo QAM" enabled already
-the AC86 has MCS 11 NitroQAM enabled already

So your saying downgrade the AC86 to MCS 9 TurboQAM and the signal strength will match that of the 1900P?

I will make the changes and then check inSSIDer again

 

[Pir8pete]

nope doing that changes nothing so far

 

[maxbraketorque]

The one review I've seen of the RT-AC86U also shows the wireless signal strength to be a little weaker than the RT-AC68U, however the review also mentioned that speeds were none-the-less improved.

 

[RMerlin]

The one review I've seen of the RT-AC86U also shows the wireless signal strength to be a little weaker than the RT-AC68U, however the review also mentioned that speeds were none-the-less improved.

People shouldn't pay attention to signal strength, and test throughput instead. Signal strength is meaningless, especially as modern devices have dynamic output management.

 

[Pir8pete]

When the signal strength drops I noticed the speed at which the client is connected at drops too.

I noticed that if I'm in a spot of strong signal then the link at which the client (laptop) is connected at shows a higher rate.
I've tested walking around the house doing a speed test by downloading files and it does download slower with a weaker signal?

Using a new HP laptop win10
-2.4G N 20Mz / 40Mhz linked @ max @ 300
-5G 80Mhz @ AC max 866.

 

[bilboSNB]

Not speed test.net.

Copy a file from one machine to another over wifi on each you probably find the 86 u does it faster ir similar ?

 

[bubobih]

Ya im notice weaker signal from ac66u i have ac86u r 1.5 (that says on back case) and latest beta from merlin. also im notice that 2.4 have lower upload speed.. max that i take it out is 55/32 mbps and on ac66u 50/50mbps (more or less 1mbps).... also i try with factory firmware i get same results.... i see many options new (comparing ac66u) but idk if any of that can speed up upload and coverage of 2.4 wifi... on 5 ghz all are ok.

 

[Pir8pete]

I think i figured out my issue. I first noticed using my 2017 LG wallpaper TV (OLED65W7P) it kept buffering when trying to stream a 4K movie from desktop PC to TV over my local network (LAN -> Wi-Fi). Also when doing a rogers speed test it would read very low, 10-30Mbps download. My monthly plan is on cable 250/20 unlimited, LAN speeds would read 330/21 consistently @ http://speedcheck.rogers.com/en.html
So the last few days I've been trying all kinds of approaches to resolve this issue; moving the router, different channels, changing some of the professional settings under wireless w/o any luck.
Just today I did a factory restore leaving everything default and tested again keeping default regulation mode set on "China". This time my speed test was on par and the TV didn't buffer! I tried other regulation modes and leaving everything on default and the speed was still OK. Then change to Europe to get the extra channels not used by anyone around me, (5G 80Mhz channels 100/116) and that's when the slow speed test and TV starts to buffer again. Odd that this only happens using those channels.

I found that on region "Europe" and using channels 52-64 results in no TV buffering and the speed test are good, but why would this be the case? My devices don't like 100-16 channels.
Would the "Europe" region mode have a lower power (throughput) be reduced just for channels 100-116?

 

[Pierino]

I just returned my rt-ac86u back to microcenter. After setting it up on Thursday with the latest rmerlin, I noticed I had no ipv6 after it had been running for a couple of hours, so I clicked reboot in the GUI while on my iPad on the couch.
Waited and waited for it to boot up, which was weird because when first setting it up, it booted up much faster than my rt-ac68p.
I go look at it and all the leds were off, so I used the switch to turn it off and back on.

Then Friday night we had loss of internet connectivity, waited a few minutes and it was back up, chalked it up to the isp service.
Yesterday no internet again, can't log into the router from the iPad, so I'm thinking it's the wifi, I go to the desktop and no connection there either, spinning blue circle on the network connection.
I wait a minute, the router starts working again, I log into it to reset it, and it never comes back up. All leds off again.

I unplugged it, boxed it up and returned it. I'll wait till newer revisions come out.

 

[RMerlin]

After setting it up on Thursday with the latest rmerlin,

Keep in mind that my firmware is still beta, so it's not the best way to test the stability of a new platform. My code is based on 16466, and Asus is up to 18xxx now for that model.

 

[Pierino]

I guess I could have tried stock fw but since I saw no other reports of rt-ac86u users experiencing what mine was doing on your beta, I figured I had a bad unit.
They didn't have anymore and I didn't really need it anyway.